Matthew and Mark narrate the Lord’s announcement to Peter that be would deny Him, as if it took place after they had left the supper room, and were upon their way to the Mount of Olives; Luke and John, as taking place before they had left the room. Hence, some suppose that the announcement was made before they left it, and was renewed by the way; and that His declaration respecting the crowing of the cock was twice spoken: once in the room of the supper, as recorded by Luke and John, and once after they had left it, as recorded by Matthew and Mark.1 Others, however, who agree with these that Jesus twice uttered the prediction respecting the denials of Peter, would identify Matthew, Mark, and Luke; but the last not narrating in chronological order. (See Edersheim, ii. 534, who seems to say that John and the Synoptists all refer to the same warning, and that on the way to Gethsemane.) This identification is defended on internal grounds, and especially that the Lord’s words to Peter, as given by Luke, “When thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren,” seem plainly to point to His words respecting all the apostles, as given by Matthew and Mark, “All ye shall be offended because of me this night.”2 That the prediction respecting Peter’s denials was twice spoken, first at the paschal supper and then as they went to Gethsemane (so Lightfoot, Patritius, Townsend), is intrinsically probable, and wholly in accordance with Peter’s character. Jesus had said (John 13:33) that He must go whither His disciples could not follow Him. This leads Peter to ask whither He was going, and why he could not now follow Him; and he adds: “I will lay down my life for thy sake.” Now the Lord declares to him that ere the cock crow, he shall deny Him thrice. (Keil thinks this warning of Peter was put by John in the supper room, because it could not well be inserted later between chapters 17 and 18.) Later, perhaps as they were approaching the garden of Gethsemane, Jesus, addressing them as a body, declares that “they all shall be offended in Him this night” (Matthew 26:31). This leads Peter to repeat his protestations of fidelity, and to affirm that though all others should be offended, yet he would not. The Lord therefore repeats, and more emphatically: “Verily I say unto thee, this day, even in this night, before the cock crow twice, thou shalt deny me thrice” (Mark 14:30).
According to some, the Lord three times predicted Peter’s denials, once as given by John, once by Luke, and once by Matthew and Mark.3 On the other hand, some make but one prediction, which John and Luke relate rightly as at the supper, and Matthew and Mark by retrospection.4 Others still think it rightly placed by Matthew and Mark while on the way to Gethsemane.5 The words the “cock shall not crow,” may be understood as referring, not to a literal cock, but to that wateh of the night known as the “cock-crowing” (see Mark 13:35), or the third watch, that from 12-3 A.M. “Within the time of cock crowing,” says Lightfoot, “the short space of time between the first and second crowing.” This would be equivalent to saying before early dawn thou shalt deny me. But the Lord seems to include the actual crowing of the cock, as the event shows (Mark 14:66-72). The second crowing was probably about 3 a.m.
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Author: Samuel J. Andrews
Keywords: Cock crow, Peter's denial, Peter denies Jesus, Peter denies Christ, Cock crow thrice, Cock crow three times, Cock crowing
Bible reference(s): Mat 26:34-35, Mark 13:35, Mark 14:29-31, Mark 14:67-72, Luke 22:31-34, John 13:36-38
Source: The Life of Our Lord Upon the Earth, (New York: Charles Scribners Sons, 1903), 494-7.
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